Dinner was a variety of bugs, crayfish and meatballs from the ruined boar.

I guess that's why Alena didn't stop him. The bugs... people didn't really eat those on Earth, did they? Or maybe that was just in the country I was in.

The bugs weren't too bad. They were somewhat similar to the crayfish probably because they were big enough to have flesh inside. A lot more earthy and exotic though.

I placed the platter back at the door and waited for a bit. Maybe I had been reading a bit much lately, but I didn't feel like I was in the mood to continue.

Maybe I'll pay a visit to Jaxt.

The gates seemed unmanned as usual, but I knew the golems were there. There was an ice figurine without a head lying on the ground outside, its lower half was incomplete; as if its legs were encased in ice.

I guess Minnie lost interest halfway and tossed it aside.

"Jaxt?"

There was no reply. Tsk. Was it trying to ignore me? Well, I knew just the thing to get his attention.

"Truck, that's kind of rude..."

Say it!

"Urgh."

"MN356!"

A silhouette appeared, Jaxt. His face was devoid of emotion.

"What is it?" it said monotonously.

I got a bad feeling suddenly.

"Um, Jaxt... did asking them for the books go well?"

For a brief moment, I thought I saw a sorrowful look on its face. But it was gone in an instant.

"Sorry," it said.

"J-jaxt?"

The golem vanished.

No... It couldn't be but...

All the signs pointed to it. They must have bound Jaxt again!

"Oh no..."

I couldn't believe it. This was how they treated someone who protected their place for so long? I had to leave this place.

"Wait!" Radio cried. "We can ask them for help!"

Them? Oh, Galu and his family. Maybe they could help, but...

It's risky. We shouldn't stay here any longer!

"They should be able to do something! Please..."

My instincts screamed at me to leave. But hearing Radio's plea, I hesitated.

Fine. But we will leave right after that!

I sped back to their house.

"Yueler!"

Chatter from the house stopped for a bit before he came out.

"Oh, already finished with your-"

"We- I need your help!"

"Huh?"

"You know Jaxt, right? The guard golem!"

"Uh, yes?"

"They've bound him! You can do something, right?"

Yueler looked flabbergasted but I couldn't blame him. I'd never seen Radio so pushy. I understood wanting to help people but... wasn't that a bit much distress for someone we met not long ago?

"I only came out to collect your plate..." he muttered to himself.

"Please!"

It explained to him what happened.

"I see. I understand how you feel but, there's not much I can do. I'm just a swordman the mayor trusts."

"But..."

"Besides, they didn't have a choice. Th-"

"What do you-"

"Shut up and let me talk! Gods..." he interrupted. "There's a lot of tension and distrust because of the Unbound right now. I'm guessing they had to do it in case he was a spy."

"There's nothing to spy on here-"

"Nothing, but if word got out an unbound golem was guarding the place, people would probably not respond well."

"So all those years he spent protecting your town... and this is how he gets repaid?"

There was moment of silence. Finally, Yueler sighed.

"Unfortunate indeed. But life isn't always fair," he said. "Besides, If he truly wanted to escape, I'm sure he would have. Most likely, he obediently let himself get captured."

Radio was quiet after that. Yueler patted me on my bumper and shook his head before heading back.

I felt tempted to say something to Radio, but I felt like now might not be the time.

"It's fine. I'm fine."

So it wasn't fine at all.

In a sense, its life didn't really change, did it? I mean, it's just standing there and guarding, it just can't run away, which it wouldn't in the first place?

I immediately realised how inappropriate what I said was.

"He has to live with the fact that they betrayed him. It's all my fault..."

You tried your best to help. And-

"I shouldn't have tried."

...

I decided to give Radio some time.

Jaxt to let me out when I reached the gate. The wind howled.

How despondent. I drove down the empty roads. Where would I even go now?

"BANG!"

[-23]

White-hot pain seared through me. I wanted to scream. Sheepy screamed.

There was a huge hole in my cargo compartment.

"You! This is all your fault!"

A hand grabbed me by the bumper and dragged me down the road. Minnie?

[-5]

"I didn't mean to. I'm so sorry..." Radio started crying.

Oh god. I did not want to die like this.

The demon lord calmed down in an instant. He could always just kill the host and possess a new body once he recovered enough.

He reached out to devour the soul of the bunny but encountered fierce resistance.

"Impossible!"

"Ahhh! Who are you? Why are you bitting me?" the soul of the bunny squeaked.

"Die!"

The two souls fought for control over the body for minutes. Finally, both were exhausted.

"No... to be on the same level as this disgusting vermin.... how weak have I become?"

"Bully! You beat me up and now call me vermin! I'm telling mom!"

"Still... I am fairly lucky. I would have been destroyed if I possessed anything stronger."

"Stupid bully! Only dumb people talk to themselves!"

The demon's soul glared at the rabbit, making it shriek.

"I talk to myself when I feel like it. Scum like you should shut your mouth and scurry back to the sewers!"

"Stupid! Rabbits live in the forest, not sewers!"

"Gahhh!"

The demon was tempted to start attacking the rabbit's soul again but held back. If he kept that up, both of them would fade away even in the protection of a living body.

Grudgingly, he decided that swallowing its pride was its best bet.

"Say... let's make a deal. You want power, don't you? I can grant you unending power, enough to rule the world!"

"Stupid bully! You don't even have the power to beat me!" the bunny stuck its tongue out at him.

The demon slapped the bunny in the face.